Method for applying elongate strip to door frame of vehicle

Abstract

There is provided a method of attaching an elongate strip to a door frame of the body of a vehicle comprising application of the elongate strip by means of a device comprising: i. a drive means; ii. an application head; iii. a stress control unit positioned between the drive means and application head and comprising one of more sensor units; iv. and a control unit for controlling the drive means, the elongate strip comprises an adhesive tape comprising a foam layer having first and second major sides and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer associated with one of the major sides of the foam layer, the pressure sensitive adhesive comprising a cross-linked rubber and the foam layer comprises an acrylic polymer of one or more alkyl acrylates having an average of 3 to 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, the foam layer having a density of at least 540 kg/m 3 .

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of attaching an elongate strip to a door frame of the body of a vehicle, the method comprising application of the elongate strip by means of a device comprising:
 (i) a drive means; 
 (ii) an application head; 
 (iii) a stress control unit positioned between the drive means and application head and comprising one or more sensor units; 
 (iv) and a control unit for controlling the drive means, 
 
       the application of the elongate strip comprising advancing the elongate strip by the drive means, positioning, pressing and/or rolling the elongate strip on the door frame by means of the application head and controlling stress of the elongate strip by means of the stress control unit and the control unit for controlling the drive means, whereby the one or more sensor units of the stress control unit measure the stress of the elongate strip and the control unit controls the drive means to maintain the stress of the elongate strip within a desired range of stress based on the measurement of the stress of the elongate strip by the one or more sensors of the stress control unit, 
       wherein the elongate strip comprises a rubber gasket and an adhesive tape comprising a foam layer having first and second major sides, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer associated with a first major side of the foam layer, the pressure sensitive adhesive comprising a cross-linked rubber and the foam layer comprises an acrylic polymer of one or more alkyl acrylates having an average of 3 to 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, and a second major side has a further adhesive layer associated with it, the foam layer having a density of at least 540 kg/m 3  and less than or equal to 608 kg/m 3 , and wherein said rubber gasket is attached to said adhesive tape through said further adhesive layer. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the control unit for controlling the drive means controls the drive means so as to maintain the level of elongation of the elongate strip between 0 and 3%. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the acrylic polymer is a polymer obtainable by polymerization of a polymerizable composition comprising one or more alkyl acrylates having an average of 3 to 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and one or more polar monomers and optionally one or more multifunctional monomers having at least two free radical polymerizable groups. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the acrylic polymer is a polymer obtainable by polymerization of a polymerizable composition comprising one or more alkyl acrylates having an average of 3 to 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and one or more polar monomers and optionally one or more multifunctional monomers having at least two free radical polymerizable groups. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the foam layer further comprises a thixotropic agent. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein said pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprises an acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive component. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein said acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive component comprises an acrylic polymer having repeating units derived from one or more alkyl acrylates having 3 to 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and one or more polar monomers. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the cross-linked rubber comprises a cross-linked block copolymer having a rubbery block and a glassy block. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein said further adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive component or a heat activatable adhesive component. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate strip includes machine readable data and wherein the device further includes means for reading the machine readable data and whereby the desired stress range is set based on the readout of the machine readable data. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  wherein the density of the foam layer is at least 570 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drive means is a belt drive means. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the drive means comprises two drive means arranged on opposite sides of the elongate strip. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the application head is a pin roller. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the application head is a pin roller. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application head is a pin roller.